Organ



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. M. CLARK. ORGAN.

(No Model.)

Patend Apr. 5, 1892.

THE mms puuu m.. Neto-Lum, ywnam, u. c.

(No Model.) `2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. CLARK. ORGAN.

No. 472,03Z. Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MELVILLE CLARK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ORGAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. &72,032, dated April 5,1892. Application filed March 9,1891. Serial No. 384,2`79. (No model.)

i To all w/wm, 't may concern:

Be it known that I, MELVILLE CLARK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois,have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Organs, which are fully set forthin the following specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to the application of an eXhaust-fan to an organas a means of eX- hausting the air from the vacuum-chamber in lieu ofthe customary eXhaust-bellows.

It relates, also, to the use of an electric motor to operate sucheXhaust-fan and to the Construction of the organ-action, which consistsin providing it with a stop to regulate the action of such electricmotor, and thereby of the eXhaust-fan, according to the use required.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical sectional side elevation,section being made from front to rear through the vacuum-chamber and thelower portion of the cabinet containing the exhaust-fan and motor. Fig.2 is a longitudinal vertical section at 2 2 on Fig. 1, showing, however,no part of the motor eX- cept the commutator and brushes and the shaft.Fig. 3 is a detail sectional side elevation of the motor-controllingstop, section being made through its bearings. Fig. 4 is a section atthe line 4 a on Fig. 3, showing the electric circuit and battery indiagram.

The action of a rotary fan to operate an organ is radically differentfrom that of the ordinary eXhaust-bellows chiefiy in that the latter ispositive, (provided the valves are tight,) while the former is merelypotential and becones actual only as the use of the instrument givesoccasion-that is to say, when the ordinary exhaust-bellows is operatedthe air is rarefied in the vacuum-chamber positively and definitely auamount dependent upon the relative Capacity of the vacu umchamber andthe Capacity of any action given to the bellows, a certain amount of airbeing drawn out from the Vacu um-chamber at each actuation of thebellows to a certain extent. The power with which the air is drawnthrough the reeds when the keys are operated, being dependent strictlyupon the degree of vacuum existing in the vacuum-chamber, will thereforedepend upon the eXtent to which the bellows has been operated to exhaustthe air before depressing the keys, and the ntensity of tone developedfrom any given reed Will be largely affected by the number of keysoperated at once, because the power will be distributed among all thatare operated simultaneously. &Vilen the exhaust device is a rotary faninstead of a positively-acting pump or bellows, this is not the case. Onthe contrary, if such fan be operated in or in communication with theVaouum-chamber while no keys are depressed and while consequently,except for leakage, there is no access of air into the vacuum-chamberpast the reeds or from any other source the fan will be able todischarge practically no air, however rapidly it is operated. It is truea certain degree of tension will be produced, because a little air canbe wi-thdrawn by the fan in such motion; but after the tension reaches acertain degree dependent upon the speed of the fan the pressure of theeXterior air will produce a practical equilibrium in the fan-chamber, sothat the fan Will simply revolve in a partial vacuum which its ownmotion produces and maintains, the air probably passing both in and outat the discharge-aperture and not passing through the fan-that is, notentering at the receiving and passing out at the discharge aperture toany important extent; but if now the vacuum or eX- haust chamber beprovided With an inlet for air an outgoing current will immediately beperceived at the discharge-mouth of the fan, and that current willincrease in Volume and intensity as the inlet-opening in thevacuumchamber is enlarged until the air coming in through such openingis equal to the full cap'acity of the fan to discharge; and, further,

I believe from my observation that the air will enter no more rapidlythrough a small inlet under the same action of the fan than through alarge inlet, only the quantity varying with the size of the inlet. Ijudge this from the fact that when the fan is being operated mostrapidly a given key being depressed, producing a tone of givenintensity, if other keys are depressed the intensity of is not therebyafthe tone of the first key IOO fected, each note having, therefore, anintensity dependent upon the rate of action of the fan and independentor practically independent ot' the number of keys operated si- 5multaneously with it.

A is the vacuum-chamber, hearing the usual relation to the action whichis represented conventionally at E above said chamber.

A' is a regulatng-supplement to the vacuum-chamber.

B is the fan. ates it. v

D is a glass case in which the fan and mo tor are inclosed. u

K is a non-vibratory pipe through which the air is exhausted by the fanfrom the vacuum-chamber.

F is a like non-vbratory pipe connected to the discharge-mouth of thefan to conduct the air-blast out through the organ-case.

i H represents conventionally a galvanic or storage battery of severalcells connected for intensity and in circuit with the motor and with thesegmental switch-board I and with a stop, the operation of which will behereinafter explained.

In the simplest C is the motor which actuform in which myinvention maybeoperatedit is not material where the fanis located norhow it isdriven. It is essential only that from the intake of the fan a properduct be provided connected with the exhaust or vacuum clamber of theorgan; but.

I prefer to locate the fan within the cabinetu case Mof the organ firstbecause there is space sufficient for it in the position usuallyoccupied by the eXhaust-bellows and because it is thereby rendered moreconvenient and immediately accessible and its control is easier. Beinglocated within the cabinet-case of the organ, it is alnost essentialthat it should be operated by power which does not require mechanical'connections extending outside of the organ-case, since such mechanicalconnections could not be operated without more or less noise, whichcould not be drowned or muffled ettectively and would seriouslyinterfere with the use of the instrument. For this purpose I preter anelectric' motor requiring only the wires to connect the current toextend outside the case to a suitable battery also within the case, itdesired, and I have so shown it in Fig. 2; but I do not consider it ofspecial consequence to locate the battery in i the case, becauseconnection With the motor can be so readily made from an eXteriorbattery by means ot binding-posts fixed on the case. It is important,however, that the noise caused by the action of the motor and fan shallbe completely muffled, and not only that, but that the vibrationproduced by the motion of the fan and motor should be absorbed andprevented from com municating vibration to the case. For the firstpurpose that is,

muffling the sound of the moving mechanism-I inclose both motor and fanin the case D, which I make of glass or with glass sides,

partly for appearance and partly in order that the action of themechanism may be atall times readily observed and because by making itthus ot' glass the necessity for opening it to observe it is obviatedand the mechanism may thereby be kept entirely free-from dust. This caseD consists of frame-work of wood or metal, as preferred, made up ofcorner-posts and bars D' D'and D D interiorly rabbeted to receive thebeveled glass panels D the rabbets being first lined with rubber stripsol, in which the glass panels are seated, the stripsbeing then foldedover the inner edge of the panel and the panel secured by molding-stripsfastened to the frame-work on the inside, so that the glass nowherecomes into contact with the frame-work, but is guarded on both sides bythe elastic strips of rubber in which it is seated. The standards forthe fan and motor rest in like manner upon rubber blocks D Dt,interposed between said standards and the bottom of the case, and thebolts which secure said standards are in like manner muitled byrubberwashers d interposed between the heads of said bolts and thebase-fianges of the standards.

The entire glass case is supported within the organ-case without contactwith the wood or other solid materia-1 of the case, rubber blocks D Dserving as feet for said glass case, being interposed between the sameand the bottom of the organ-cabinet. These feet are nost convenientlymade of heavy rubber tubing, whose aperture or bore is sutficient simplyto admit a bolt through it fromtop to bottom, and under the heads of thebo1ts,which pass through the bottom of such case and through the legsinto the bottom of the organcase, rubber washers are placed, so that theboltshave no contact directly with the vibratory. material of the bottomof the glass case.

To prevent a tremulous or Vibratory motion of theglass case bodily byreason of the elasticity of its-supports, buers orlateral rubber stops DD may be Secured to its upper corners and extended to the proximateinnersides of the organ-cabinet, thereby steadying it and staying itlaterally. This glass case is entirely closed, except at one side, Whereit has an aperture D for the eXhaust pipe or ,duct K, leading from thevacuum-chamber of the organ, and at the bottom, where there is anopening D through which the discharge-pipe F passes out. For the purposeot' this pipe connection from the tan-case to the eXhaust or vacuum`chamber, as well as for every other pipe connection from the fan, Iprefer to employ the structure shown, in which K is a tube made of thinsheet-rubber-such as is frequently employed in the manufacture ofbellows-orot felt, within which are rings K' K', on .which are mountedat intervals throughout their circumference several wood blocks K KThese rings are of such diameter that, with their blocks on them, asillustrated, they fit tightly within the tube, and the blocks IOO IOS

IIO

are provided for the purpose of affording convenient means for gluing tothe tube, thereby retaining the ringsrin such position as desiredtherein. These rings are located at intervals in the length of the tube,their purpose being to define the area ot' the longitudinal collapse ofthe tube whenever it is used in such situation as to be collapsed and toprevent transverse Collapse during the exhaustion of air from it byexterior pressure. For some purposesl prefer to make this tube of felt;but. the rubber is preferable where the tube is to be collapsedfrequently, being less liable to rupture in collapsing by reason of `therepeated creasing or folding at the same points. The end of the tube isprovided with a metal ferrule K and a wooden marginal fiange or fittingK by which it is adapted to be Secured to the wall of the case at oneend and to the wall of the vacuum-chamber at the other, the rubberWasher K being interposed between it and said wall at such connection toprevent vibration, although the entire pipe itself, being ofnon-vibratory material, quite eit'ectually absorbs any vibration whichmight be communicated. A short piece of similar pipe K is similarlyconnected to the fan-case at one end and at the other end to the wall ofthe case D at the opening D A similar pipe F leads from thedischarge-mouth of the fan out through the bottom ot' the glass case,and thence through an opening in the bottom of the organ-cabinet, andsaid cabinet being supported a very short distance, not exceeding oneinch, from the floor by suitable casters or other supports the air fromthe fan is discharged downwardly onto the floor, and thereby dispersedlaterally and escapes all around the bottom edge of the organ.

The switch-board consists of a base I of insulating material, havingmounted upon it in a circle metallic segments I', each provided with abinding-screw 1 while at the center of said insulating-base is journaledthe metallic stop-rod 1 carrying the metallic contact-finger 1 whichextends radially to a position where it may rest upon the metallicsegments. I provide a metallic bearing or lining for the bearing of therod 1 in the base I, and from that metalli lining a wire 2' runs to themotor, and thence to one pole of the battery, and from one of theextreme bindingscrews 1 wire t runs to the opposite pole of the'battery.From the connecting-wires between the successivo cells I extend,respectively, the wires i' 1' L to the second, third, and fourthbinding-screws 1 The last segment I', being unconneeted, might for allpurposes be either of insulating or conducting material, serving only asa block to hold up the point of the finger 1 to the level of the severalmetallic segments. The stop-rod 1 extends from its bearing describedforward through the organ-front and is provided with a stop-knob I in aconvenient position to be operated, being, as illustrated, immediatelyover the keyboard at the right-hand end. It will be understood that byturning the stopknob to set the finger 1 in contact with either thefirst, second, third, or fourth segments I' the power of all four,three, two, or only one of the cells will be brought into the circuitand their power utilized to operate the motor, and the speed of the fanwill thereby be regulated at the will of the operator. At theorgan-front I provide a dial about the stop-knob and a suitable tinger'on said knob, said dial having indicating points corresponding to theposition of the finger 1 on the several segments I' to guide theoperator in setting said stop for the desired intensity ot' action. Itwill be understood that the number of cells and correspondingly thenumber of contactsegments and of index-points on the dial may be madegreater or less, as desired. It will be obvious, also, that a similarmethod maybe employed to regulate the force of current taken from anelectric circuit by resistancecoils suitably arranged, so that one ormore of them can be' brought into the resistancecircuit in the samemanner as the cells illustrated are brought into the motor-circuit bythe operation of the stop over the switchboard, and the same resultproduced as when power is taken directly from galvanic or storage cells.By adding to Fig. 2 the broken lines J J' to represent the entering anddeparting wires of an energized circuit and considering H H, &JC., asresistance coils or cells said figure presents in diagram thisalternative method.

The regulator A' is generically a supplement to the vacuum-chamber,being a collapsing air chamber, which conmunicates with the vacuum-chamber proper through the opening a in the bottom of the latterchamber. lVithin it are springs A A tending to hold it distended andresisting its Collapse when the fan is operated. Without any use of themanual or With the use of so few keys as to ad mit air to a less extentthan the capacity of the fan to exhaust at the speed at which it isbeing driven a partial Vacuum is produced in the vacuum-chamber, whichwill cause the regulator A' to oollapse under exterior atmosphericpressure. When the use of the manual is suddenly increased, requirin ginstantly an i'ncreased quantity of air, the regulator will expand underthe action of the snrings and will instantly draw such requiredincreased quantity, and at the same time, according to the mode ofaction hereinabove stated, the fan will also draw air in an increasedextent proportionate to the increased opening at the reeds produced bythe increased use of the manual. This increase of movement of the airthrough the fan cannot occur so prom ptly as to prevent the diminutionof intensity for an instant when alargelyincreased number of keys issuddenly struck; but the regulator, under the action of its springs, iscapable of responding practically ICO IIO

, instantaneously, and it thereby prevents for even an appreciableinstant the diminutiou' of intensity of tone.

It will be understood that the fan may be used 'connected to thevacuun-chanber without being located within the organ-case and may beoperated by other thanan electric motor, or being operated by such motoror by an equivalent the inclosing case for such fan and motor may bedispensed with; but in each of these changes one or more features ofsubsidiary Value in my invention would be omitted, while retaining otherfeatures, and in all these changes retaining one leading pri- Inat-yfeature.

N N N N N are binding-posts for the con-` nection of the wires from thebattery and motor to corresponding wires which eXtend within theorgan-case from the switch-board in any convenient course to reach saidbindingposts in the portion of the organ-case where the case D is to belocated when that construction is employed. N' N' N' N' N' are similarbinding-posts, to which the eXterior wires from the battery may beextended when the battery and motor are located outside the organ-case.The same binding-posts will answer when power is derived from the lineof circuit with resistancecoils.

I claiml. In a cabinet-organ, in combination with Operating meehanism, acase other than and forning no part of the organ cabinet-case inclosingsuch mechanism to muffle the' sound of its motion, substantially as setforth.

2. In a cabinet-organ, in conbination with Operating meohanisn, a caseinclosing such nechanism located within and independent of the organcabinet-case to muffle the sound of such mechanism, substantially as setforth.

3. In a cabinet-organ, in combination with Operating mechanisn, a caseother than and forming no part of the organ cabinet-case inclosing suchOperating mechanism to mufile the sound of its motion, such Operatingmechanisn and muflling-case being located within theorgan cabinet-case,and elastic supports and stays interposed between such muftlingcase andthe walls of the organ cabinet-case to cut off sonorousvibration,snbstantially as set forth.'

4. In a Gabimet-organ, in combination with mechanism which operatesit,acase inclosing such mechanism other than and forming no part of theorgan Gabimet-case and having its sides seated in non-sonorous cushionsinterposed between said sides and the corner f rame-work of saidcase,whereby the sonorous vibration of the mechanism -inclosing case isabsorbed, substantially as set forth.

I 5. Incombinationwithavacuum-chanberof an organ, an eXhaust-fancommunicating with such chanberto exhaustthe airtherefrom,said chamberhaving a yielding Supplement nornally distended and communicating freelywith it and exteriorly exposed to atnospheric pressure, whereby thetension of air in the vacuun-chamber is automatically regulated,substantially as set forth.

6. i In a cabinet-organ, in combination with a Vacuurn-chamber, aneXhaust-fan communicating withsuch chamber to exhaust the air therefrom,a motor which operates the fan, and a case other than and forming nopart of the organ-case inclosing the fan and motor to muffle the soundof their motion, substantially as set forth.

7. In a cabinet-organ, in conbination with a vacuun-chanber, an`eXhaust-fan communicating with such chamber to exhaust the airtherefrom, a motor which operates such fan, such fan and motor beinglocated within the', organ cabinet-case, and a case inclosing such fanand motor within and independent of the organ cabinet-case to muffle thesound of their motion, substantially as set forth.

8. In a cabinet-organ, in combination with a vacuun-charnber and anexhaust-fan communicating with such chamber to eXhaust air therefron, acase inclosing such fan and chamber to ,In-uffle the sound of theirmotion, such fan-motor and muffling-case being located within the organcabinet-case, and rubber supports and stays interposed between suchnuffling-case and the walls of the organ cabinet-case to cut offsonorous vibration, substantially as set forth.

9. In a cabinet-organ, in combination with the vacuun-chamber and aneXhaust-fan communicating with such chamber to exhaust the airtherefrom, a case inclosing such fan, such case having its sides seatedin non-sonorous cushions interposed between said sides and the corneriframe-work, whereby sono'ous vibration' of the case isabsorbed,substantially as set forth.

10. In combination with a vacuum-chamber and an eXhaust-fan communicating with such chamber to exhaust the air therefron, such fan being locatedwithin the organ cabinetcase, a pipe of felt or other non-sonoroussubstance leading fron the discharge-mouth of the fan to the eXterior oftle-organ-case,substantially as set forth.

11. In combination with the vacuum-chainber and an eXhaust-fancommunicating with such chamber to exhaust the air therefrom,'

such fan being located within the organ cabinet-case, the duct from thedisoharge-nouth of the fan, leading down through the bottom of the organcabinet-case, whereby the airblast from the fan is dispersedhorizontally at the floor under the organ, substantially as set forth.

12. In combination with the motor-standard, the fan-case rigidtherewith, the notorshaft having bearings in the motor-standard andeXtended into the fan-case, and the fan on said shaft within said case,substantially as set forth.

13. In a musical instrument,the longitudinally-collapsible duct K,eomposed of fleXible IOO IIO

tube, combined With the rings K', Secured to are Secured to the innerwall of the tubing, I its inner wall at short ntervals in its lengthsubstantially as set forth.

to resist transverse Collapse and pernt long- In testnony whereof I havehereunto settudinal Collapse between consecutive Tings, my hand, atOhicago,11lnois,this 28th day of 5 substantally as set forth. February,1891.

14. In a musical instrument, the longitudi- MELVILLE CLARK.nally-collapsble duet K, eomposed of flexble NVitnesses: tube, combinedWith the wire rings K', having OHAS. S. BURTON,

on them the wooden blocks K Whereby they JEAN ELLIOTT.

